He Promised He Would Forever
by Pursuit of Love
Summary: Mikan's daughter was confused. 'Why can't Okaa-san help me? It's just a simple task.' She asked why, but her mother wouldn't tell her. She wasn't going to give up though. Will she discover a family secret that was supposed to be forgotten forever?


**I know 9/11 has already passed a long time ago, but it doesn't mean I cannot write a story dedicated to the tragedy. 9/11 should be remembered. It must be remembered, not forgotten.**

**Other Stories I Wrote (In published order):**

**I Promise You, I'd Come and Save You**

**You'll Become My Wife**

**The Big Misunderstanding**

**Never Let Go**

**Our Own Fireworks**

**I Never Left You**

**Wait For Me, Mikan**

**The Sweet Scavenger Hunt**

**The Lost Princess**

**Because He Promised He Would Forever**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Gakuen Alice. I'm not smart enough to write something as great like that. :P**

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><p><strong>He Promised He Would Forever<strong>

By Pursuit of Love

The brunette removed from her red checkered kilt the key. She inserted it into the aperture and crooked the silver key to the right. The adolescent gripped the knob and lugged the door open. Precipitously, her lips curved into a vivacious smile. The lass deeply inhaled the mouthwatering aroma which caused drool to escape her lips. This was an everyday routine. After school, she would go to her abode with a delicious meal waiting for her. She clicked her heels and skipped joyfully towards the tang. When the ravenous girl entered the kitchen, she witnessed her mother setting up the dinner table.

''Okaa-san! I'm home!'' she exclaimed.

Her mum lifted her amber eyes from the table and faced her twelve-year-old daughter. A warm smile came upon her face.

''Miki-chan!'' she responded back with the same bliss.

She paraded to her offspring and gave her a tight embrace. When her mother released her, she tugged Miki's strand of ashy hair behind her ear. She let out a giggle.

''Welcome home!''

The russet-haired girl tittered as well. ''So Okaa-san, what's for dinner?''

''Chicken teriyaki and curry!''

Miki's grin grew larger. ''Yum!''

The daughter and mother were enjoying each other's pleasant company. They chatted about trivial subjects which mostly were about each other's day.

''You aced your algebra test! That's wonderful!''

''Thanks, it was hilarious to see Jinno-sensei's shocked face. ''

The two chuckled like there was no tomorrow. The mum and spawn stopped when their tummies' couldn't take the tingling sensation anymore. Miki clutched her chopsticks and seized the juicy piece of chicken with it. She shoved it in her mouth and chewed.

''I have this-''

''Miki, don't talk with your mouth full,'' her mother reprimanded.

She propelled the salacious element down her gullet and coughed. ''Sorry, mother.''

''It's OK.''

Miki cleared her throat and continued on with her discussion. ''So, I have this assignment from history class that's due the day after tomorrow and I need your help.''

''It would be my pleasure!''

''Great!''

''What will I have to do?''

''Well,'' she uttered before sipping her green tea. ''I need to interview a person, which is you…''

''Sounds simple.''

''And I have to ask them about their personal experience with 9/11.'' Her mother instantly choked on her chicken. ''Okaa-san! Are you alright?''

''Yea…yea, I'm alright.''

''You scared me there,'' she confessed and put her palm on her beating heart. ''So what is your experience with 9/11?''

''My…experience?''

''Yep! You're experience!''

Miki's mother remained quiet and frozen for quite some time. She was staring down at her occupied platter with such gloomy eyes. It made her daughter incredibly worried. She has never seen her mum so melancholy before.

''Okaa-san, are you ok?''

Her concerned voice didn't snap her mom out of the trance. Miki lifted her hand and snapped her fingers near her mother's blank face. The click broke the spell. Her mama raised her cocoa irises from the dish and positioned her gaze on her daughter.

''I'm sorry, Miki-chan,'' she murmured.

''Why?''

''I…I can't,'' she said in a low tone. ''I can't help you with your assignment.''

''Eh! Why not?''

''I just can't. I'm sorry,'' her depressed mum repeated. ''Excuse me.''

Her mother arose from the dining table and disappeared from her daughter's sight. Miki was befuddled. She has never seen her mother so disconsolate and muddled. It was a conversion for her and she didn't like it, not one bit. Regardless, she was going to find out the reason.

_**~ 0 ~**_

''Miki,'' an apathetic voice uttered. ''Miki.''

Her patient was running low. _Very_ low.

''Miki!''

_That's it_, she thought. She took her Bible-thick textbook from her desk and released it on Miki's head. Miki shuddered at the sudden impact and moaned. She placed her hand on her bruised head and felt a large bump. The brunette scowled at her golden-haired, violet-eyed acquaintance.

''Imai Hisako! That hurt!'' she nitpicked with her clenched hands near Hisako's face. ''Why did you do that for? Best friends aren't supposed to hurt each other!''

''What's up with you lately?''

''What do you mean?''

''You've been daydreaming longer than usual,'' she stated with her skimp arms crossed. ''What happened?''

''Well…my Okaa-san has been acting…strange.''

''Strange, how?''

''Well, Hisako-chan, when I asked Okaa-san to help me with my school project, she said yes!''

''What's wrong with that?''

''When I told her to it was the 9/11 assignment, she changed her mind. I asked her why, but she didn't tell me! She just had this depressive look on her face.''

''Hmm,'' Hisako purred. ''Did something bad happen to your Okaa-san on 9/11?''

''Not that I know of.''

''You should-''

Before Hisako could complete her sentence, the egress flung open and the one and only, Jinno-sensei entered with his freakish pet frog perched on his bony shoulder. _Seriously what teacher keeps a toad on his shoulder_, Mikan thought.

''Sit down class!'' he instructed in his typical unsympathetic voice.

''I'll see you later, Miki,'' Hisako said and fled to her seat which was on the other side of the classroom.

The possessor of amber tresses and scarlet orbs sighed, and propped the side of her cheek on her right palm. It was another tedious math class with Jinno-sensei. Miki couldn't concentrate on the lesson for all she could think about was her mother.

_**~ 0 ~**_

''So?''

''Did you hear what I said? Miki is asking me about _my_ experience about 9/11!''

''So tell her. You can't keep it a secret from her forever, Mikan.''

''I can't, Hotaru!'' she blubbered. ''She'll be heartbroken!''

''I told my daughter about her father, so why can't you do the same?''

''Because Ruka-pyon survived while Natsume didn't!''

The best friends were silent for several seconds. Hotaru felt remorseful for making her best friend cry and Mikan was already in tears for she was remembering what happened that fatal day.

''I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…''

''It's ok, Hotaru. It's not your fault.''

''Mikan, darling, listen to me, you have to tell Miki. She needs to know what happened to Hyuuga.''

_**~ 0 ~**_

Miki leisurely reached in her sarong pocket for her key. When she couldn't feel anything, she shoved her hand in the other pocket. Her crimson orbs expanded.

''Where's my key?''

She checked her other compartments for her missing key and she still couldn't find it. The upset brunette gave a sigh of defeat. Her scarlet eyes searched for an opening to her household. A large grin swept across her face for she found an open window! She cheered and dashed over to it. Miki took a look inside her abode and her red irises involuntarily widened. The chestnut girl observed her mother sitting on a rocking chair while going through an old album. Her mum didn't see her for her back was facing her. She saw a photo of her mother ten or maybe eleven years younger with an unknown man that had silky raven hair and bloody red eyes. She couldn't help, but intently stare at the stranger. _Why is he hugging my Okaa-san?_ Miki thought. Her raptly gaze was interrupted when her mother flipped to the next page. Miki's jaw marginally dropped when she witnessed in a picture her mom being fat as a hippo! _Oh my gosh_, she thought. _Is that Okaa-san pregnant? Is that me inside her stomach?_ She wanted to stare more at her prenatal mother, but couldn't since she turned to the next page. Miki couldn't help, but shriek.

''OH MY GOSH! WHY IS OKAA-SAN KISSING ANOTHER MAN!''

Mikan juddered at the unexpected screech from her daughter. She whipped her head around and witnessed Miki sheepishly grinning.

''Miki, what are you doing?''

The cerise-eyed miss enlightened her flummoxed mum. When she understood her daughter's situation, she warmly beamed and helped her enter the house from the elevated window. Miki sincerely smiled.

''Thank you, Okaa-san.''

Mikan tossed back the same smile. ''We need to talk, Miki.''

She lightly clutched her hand and brought her over to the rocking chair. Mikan sat first then Miki sat upon her mother's lap.

''What is it do you want to talk about?''

''About your father.''

''My father?''

''Yes, you're father, Hyuuga Natsume.''

_**~ 0 ~**_

The taxi driver heaved the door open for the young couple. The extravagant wife smiled at the cab driver and paid him. She then ambled over to her husband's side. When her spouse noticed her presence, he smirked and pulled her into a passionate kiss. Her amber eyes were wide as owls, but soon relaxed and sealed shut. They wanted to stay like this forever, in each other's arms, but because of the limited of time the couple had, he pulled away. He caressed her rosy cheek with his hand then gently pressed his lips against her nose.

''It's time for me to go, Polka.''

''Hmp, I'm not wearing polka dot panties today!''

''Oh right, its strips isn't it?'' he responded with his renowned smirk.

''Stupid Natsume,'' she muttered with her facade flushed and mortified.

His smirk grew even larger. Natsume afterwards leaned down and pecked his wife's inflated stomach. She giggled.

''That tickles,'' she commented with a sweet smile.

''I'll be back, Mikan.''

''I know you will.''

''When I come back, we'll create a big family with even _more_ kids.''

Mikan lightly and playfully punched his arm. ''Pervert.'' She leaned in and softly gave him a quick kiss on the lips. ''I love you.''

''I love you more.''

_**Two Days Later**_

''Yea, girl! Show him whose boss!'' Mikan exclaimed. Suddenly, her TV eccentrically flashed to a different channel. ''What the-''

''Breaking news! A plane just hit the North Tower in NYC!''

''What!''

''We have been told hijackers took over the airplane.''

''Oh my gosh…''

''We have news that the plane, United Airlines 175, has been hijacked as well.''

''What! That's the plane Natsume's on!'' she yelped.

''We are estimating it will hit the South Tower at any moment. Anyone in the South Tower or near that area, please evacuate immediately.''

Mikan was nowhere near NYC. She lived in Boston. After she graduated from Alice Academy in Japan, her and her husband moved to Boston since it was a nice place to raise a big family.

The brunette immediately jerked out of her velvet divan and quickly grabbed the phone. She rapidly hit the numbers and pressed dialed. The phone rang. Each resonates made her heartbeat increase its speed and volume. But with just one single word, her heart relaxed just slightly.

''Mikan?''

''Natsume! Are you alright? Please tell me you're ok!''

''Mikan, listen to me,'' he said in a stern voice. ''You are the most important person in my life. You brought me out of the darkness and showed me light. Every minute we spent together was precious to me. You made me the luckiest man on Earth and I thank you for that.''

''Natsume, what are you saying! You're coming back, right?''

''Mikan...I-''

''You promised me remember! You promised we'd create a big happy family with many kids! You promised me remember!'' she shouted with her voice cracking and tears streaming down her face.

''Mikan, please remember, I love you now and forever. ''

''Natsume, please don't say goodbye! Remember we're supposed to grow old together and watch our children have their own children.''

''Mikan, can you tell me you love me?''

''No! Not until you say you're coming back to me!''

''Mikan…''

''Natsume, come back home! Don't go!''

''I love you, Mikan.''

She sniffed and whimpered. ''I love you too.''

_**~ 0 ~**_

''A few months later, I met Imai Hotaru, Hisako-chan's mother. Her boyfriend, well now her husband, got injured in the building of the Twin Towers and was in a coma for several months. We became good friends and supported each other when in need.'' Mikan brushed away her daughter's salty tears with her thumb. ''Anymore questions, Miki?''

''Does Okaa-san still love Otou-san?''

''Yes, very much.''

''Does Otou-san still love Okaa-san?''

Miki's mum stared at her daughter with a startled expression, but that startled expression soon became a happy one.

''Otou-san still loves Okaa-san,'' she answered with a sincere smile.

''How do you know?''

''He promised he would forever.''

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><p><strong>I hoped you like <strong>_**He Promised He Would Forever**_**. This actually happened to me. Not the losing-my-loved-one part, but the assignment part. I actually interviewed my mom about her 9/11 experience for my history class. I was inspired to write **_**He Promised He Would Forever **_**because of my homework! I never thought that would happen. Review & Comment!**


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